Culture is the overall manner of life which includes customs, language, beliefs and other material things. Hence, global culture is the overall way of life of people in the universe. Despite the increasing diversity in the world, sociologists have been able to identify key aspects of various cultures that are common in the 21st century (Crothers 125). Globalization, on the other hand, defines the global integration which is as a result of increased human connectivity and exchange of ideas and culture.
The process of globalization has resulted in several effects on the global culture. One of these effects is the process of Americanization which is the adaptation of American norms and values by other cultures (Ben-Rafael and Sternberg 70). Whereas globalization, in general, leads to transformation of different cultures to one global culture, in Americanization the global culture is based on American society values (Crothers 89). For example, as a result of globalization, English is being adapted by most countries and world organizations as the first official language; however, as a result of Americanization, American English is being used in most English text found online. In terms of the food we eat, globalization has increased health consumerism trends whereas Americanization has depicted small-sized women as the image of a healthy lady. This effect on food can be noted in cultures such as the Fiji society where women have started dieting though according to their culture weighing 200 kgs was fashionable (Crothers 116).
Globalization is traced back to the 19th century when there was rapid development in communication and transport networks (Marling 121). However, historians argue that globalization begun as an early as international trade though at this times it was at a minimum (Marling 124). Global culture, on its part, is seen to have begun in the 20th century when information exchange became a principal foundation of regional economies. During this period, there was increased travel for education which led to exchange of cultures. As a result of different people living in the same place, they started developing various values and norms that would govern all of them.
The expansion of global culture has resulted in ease of marketing for products and services as foreign markets are now easier to understand and penetrate (Nargundkar 11). Global culture has also helped reduce activities such as female genital mutilation which degraded various people groups. This is because global culture has helped increase information on the negative effects of such activities.
Globalization has increased market connectivity and interdependence between various regional economies (Nargundkar 57). While this has helped increase the volume of global trade, it has also increased national economies’ susceptibility to forces in the global economy. For example, the global credit crunch experienced in 2009 was as a result of economic malpractice in the United States, yet it was felt worldwide (Marling 44).
Consumption of the global culture has so far been limited by ethnic, political and religious factors. Several religions such as Christianity and Islam fail to agree on pertinent issues in the global culture such as the position of women in society. Political differences also affect the consumption of the global culture as some regions such as the Middle East consider adapting the culture as losing their sovereignty to the United States (Marling 94).
For the advancement of the global culture in coming times, it is necessary to increase awareness of what it is all about. People need to be informed that there is a difference between the American culture and the global culture. Also, other minority countries should be requested to lead the push for a global culture to distance the west from this global harmonization tool.
Works Cited
Nargundkar, Rajendra. Services Marketing: Text & Cases. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education, 2010. Print.
Crothers, L. Globalization and American popular culture. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006. Print.
Marling, W. How "American" is globalization. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. Print.
Ben-Rafael, E. and Sternberg, Y. Identity, culture, and globalization. Leiden Boston: Brill. (2002). Print
